Mary was the first person in human history to hear that Jesus is the Son of God — and the first to glimpse the inner life of the Holy Trinity. How did she believe so quickly? What was already happening in her soul before the angel Gabriel arrived?

In this episode of Into the Mysteries of the Rosary, a mini-series of the Contemplata podcast, Fr. James Brent, O.P. meditates on the First Joyful Mystery: the Annunciation. He unpacks why Gabriel greets Mary as "full of grace" before revealing her mission, what her response teaches us about discerning God's call in our own lives, and how the Annunciation opens the door to God's plan to adopt us as His children.

A guided meditation for anyone praying the Rosary — whether for the first time or the ten-thousandth.

New episodes of Into the Mysteries of the Rosary every other week.
Hosted by Fr. James Brent, O.P., Dominican Friars, Province of St. Joseph.
Learn more at contemplata.org

What if the Rosary isn't just a string of beads, but a string of mysteries that hold the entire Gospel?

In this opening episode of Into the Mysteries of the Rosary, Fr. James Brent, O.P. invites you into the great secret St. Paul speaks of in his letters: the mystery "hidden for ages and generations" but now revealed in Jesus Christ. From the angel Gabriel's announcement to Mary, to the crowning of the Queen of Heaven, the mysteries of the Rosary trace the entire storyline of the Gospel and unveil God's plan to adopt us as His own children.
Discover why the Rosary is called "the short form of the Gospel," how each Hail Mary places Jesus at the center, and why slowly meditating on these mysteries, day in and day out, gradually pulls back the veil on what life is really all about.

Whether you've prayed the Rosary your whole life or are picking it up for the first time, this episode is your invitation to enter more deeply into the mysteries of Christ.

Into the Mysteries of the Rosary is a Contemplata mini series led by Fr. James Brent, O.P., offering guided meditations on each mystery of the Rosary. Beginning May 14, 2026, new episodes arrive every other week, with regular Contemplata episodes on the weeks between.

Rooted in the tradition of the Dominican Friars, this series helps you enter more deeply into the life of Christ through prayerful reflection on the Joyful, Sorrowful, Glorious, and Luminous Mysteries. Listen to Into the Mysteries of the Rosary wherever you get your podcasts and deepen your daily prayer.